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Pollutant Transport in Flow-Through Wetland Ecosystems

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Abstract

A simple, tractable mathematical model is developed which permits dynamic simulation of wetland hydrology and of interactions between wastewater and the wetland ecosystem. Spatial variations due to surface water flow are described, and material balance calculations carried out for phosphorus, nitrogen, and chloride. A hydrology model predicts overland flow. Ecosystem phenomena are represented, using a one-dimensional, spatially distributed compartmental model. Compartments include soil, surface water, interstitial soil water, and various types of live biomass, standing dead and litter. Solutions to the partial differential equations which comprise these spatial models are demonstrated using finite-difference methods. Computer simulations are compared to operating data from the Porter Ranch wastewater treatment facility at Houghton Lake, Michigan. They accurately predict solute concentrations in surface water, biomass growth patterns, and other major ecosystem features.

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© 1986 Plenum Press, New York

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Kadlec, R.H. (1986). Pollutant Transport in Flow-Through Wetland Ecosystems. In: Cohen, Y. (eds) Pollutants in a Multimedia Environment. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2243-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2243-6_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9314-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-2243-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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